生靈塗炭 shēng líng tú tàn

DEFINITIONS

  1. people are in a terrible situation (idiom)

CHARACTERS

生 shēng
HSK 1
life, living, lifetime; birth
靈 líng spirit, soul; spiritual world
塗 tú smear, daub, apply, spread; paint
炭 tàn
HSK 5
charcoal; coal; carbon